Light in the Darkness
by LoveLinny
Summary: Just an idea of what could happen after 6x14. (Steroline)
1. Chapter 1

Liz Forbes had held on for as long as she could, and when she passed it was peaceful. The funeral had been very long and tortuous for the young Caroline Forbes. She had struggled to get though her speech, but when she needed reassurance she looked up and he was there. When the service was over and she had endure the sympathies of the guests he was right by her side.

She didn't want to go home. She couldn't face the emptiness that awaited her there. She knew she didn't even need to ask, there was a room for her at the boarding house. Physically and emotionally exhausted she made her way up the stairs and found herself collapsing in the youngest Salvatore's bed. She knew there were plenty of guest rooms in the house, but none of them had his comforting scent.

Finally, after trying to hold them back all day, she let the tears fall freely from her sad eyes. Within seconds he was there. Stefan wrapped his arms protectively around her small frame. She clutched onto him as the tears turned to sobs. She had feared of this day from that night when Stefan had told her the news. Losing her mother was something she knew she'd have to face, but she wasn't ready. She knew she never would have been, but here was so much she still needed her mom for.

Stefan held her close as he whispered comforting words into her ear. He knew how unfair this was. Liz didn't deserve to die yet, and Caroline didn't deserve to have her mom missing from so much of her long life. When Caroline stilled he knew she was asleep. He moved the hair away from her face and wiped away the last tear. He hoped she was dreaming of happy memories with Liz, or sleepovers with girls, or the kiss they had shared at her cabin. Anything other than the nightmare she was living today.

Stefan must have fallen asleep too, because when he opened his eyes she was gone. Panic set in and he sat up straight fearing she had ran away. He listened for of her, and breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her. What surprised him was that she was talking with his brother.

"Help yourself." Damon said.

"I was planning on it, weather you offered or not." her voice was so full of sadness as she poured herself a drink.

"Caroline, I-"

"If you're going to tell me how sorry you are for my lose, save it. I'm so sick of hearing that."

"Actually, I was going to apologize." Damon corrected her.

It was clear she wasn't expecting that; a look of shock took over her face. "For what?"

"For starters, saying what I did at the hospital. That you, uh, killed her. I know you were just trying to save her. It's what any of us would have done in your situation. Secondly, I never apologized for what I did to you when I first came back here. I shouldn't have done that to you, but I didn't know the part you'd end up playing in my life. I didn't know how much you'd come to mean to my brother."

Caroline was taken aback. An apology was something she never expected from him. "Thank you."

"You should get back up there before Stefan thinks you're gone."

Caroline nodded and sat her glass back on the table. She climbed the stairs back to his room. He was seemingly still asleep. She laid down facing him. She couldn't stop thinking about what Damon had just told her. "I didn't know how much you'd come to mean to my brother." Once they grew closer Caroline never doubted her friendship with Stefan, but now she didn't know what it was turning into. Whenever they came close to kissing she thought back to that first night. He had told her it was never going to happen, but it did. She had finally let him kiss her. And she knew that kiss, on top of everything else, would make her go crazy. She couldn't stop thinking about it and what it had meant. At least this gave her something to keep her mind from wandering to thoughts of her mother.

She yawned, still very drained from the day's events and only napping for an hour. Stefan, without opening his eyes, reached for her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"Rest." he whispered to her, finally opening his eyes. "You're safe. Just rest and when you wake up, I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere, Caroline."

His words soothed her. She knew when she opened her eyes he'd be right there, keeping her safe. "Tell me a story about you mom?" Caroline asked as she snuggled into him.

"Okay, close your eyes." without thinking he knew the story to tell her. "I was just a little boy, five years old and I thought I knew what love was. There was a girl, Addalyn, she was a year older than me. One day I pick a flower and drew the courage to give it to her, but then I saw her giving Damon a kiss on the cheek. So, I threw the flower and ran home. I was crying when my mom found me and she asked me why. Of course I told her and I told her how much I hated love."

"But my mom, she was like you, she was always optimistic." he paused as Caroline wrapped her arm around him and squeezed to let him know she was listening. "She told me never to give up on love. That one day I'd find the right girl to make me happy. A girl that I'd love dancing with, a girl that would make me smile brighter than ever before, a girl that would be my light when everything seemed so dark."

He looked down at the girl in his arms, finally seeing what his mom was talking about all of those years ago. He found the reason to not give up on love. He leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. She was his light, now it was his turn to be hers.


	2. Chapter 2

One week ago today Liz Forbes lost her battle. One week ago Caroline lost her mother. To the outside world, she was healing. One thing Caroline was good at was hiding emotion. She wasn't one that liked people to think she was weak. When Elena, Damon, or Matt asked how she was she smiled and lied. She always responded with "It's getting better each day." The truth was it was getting worse with time. She found herself calling her mom's number every Saturday out of habit, only to remember there was no one to answer it. Every night she'd curl up next to Stefan and let the silent tears escape from her eyes. He was the only one she let herself fall apart in front of. He was the only one that knew her true pain, and it scared him.

Stefan sighed and rolled over as the morning light crept through his window. He was surprised to find his bed empty. Ever since that night, Caroline always slept next to him. He tried to calm his mind, thinking that she must have woken up first and needed something, but he could only think of the worst. He threw off the covers and headed downstairs in search of the blonde. However, the only person he found was Elena.

"Hey can we talk." Elena asked. "I'm worried about Caroline, I don't think she's handling this as well as she thinks she is."

"Yeah, have you seen her?" he avoided her statement. He was growing more worried.

"I thought she was still upstairs with you." Elena answered, now sharing in his worry.

"No, I woke up and she was gone. I don't want to smother her Elena, but I don't want something bad to happen."

"You don't want her to turn it off." Elena said as if reading his mind and he nodded. "Do you really think she'd do that?"

"Did you ever think you would until it happened?"

"I'll help you look for her." She avoided the question, because she knew the situation Caroline was in all too well.

Stefan paused remembering what day it was. "I know where she is." and with that he was outside getting into his car.

He drove dangerously over the speed limit, anxious to get to the cemetery. He hoped he wasn't wrong. He had a strong feeling that Caroline would want to feel as close to mother as she could. He knew she was trying to be strong. Last night though tears she told him how it would only be a week since her mother left, but it felt like years. The days were dragging on, and he knew how that felt. When his mother died seconds felt like hours. Now, she was feeling the same.

He put the car in park, but didn't bother shutting the door behind him. She was there, kneeling over her mother's grave. He blonde hair was blowing around her face from the wind, but he still saw her tear stained face. He debating on if he should go to her. He knew she was aware of him, because when he pulled up her head tilted slightly.

"I can't do this." he heard her say, either to him or to Liz.

"You're stronger than that." he whispered back, hoping she was listening.

She shook her head before looking at him. There was a trace of blood under her mouth and he went to her, wiping it off.

"Caroline…"

"Don't worry, it was just a bunny…" she fell into him, sobs taking her over.

Ever since their first hunting season she refused to kill bunnies, something about a pet she once had. So, he knew these tears weren't just for her mom, a small part of them were for her kill.

"Hey, look at me." he gently moved her face up so he could look into her eyes. "You are going to get through this."

Again, she shook her head. "I don't want to, Stefan. That's the thing. Now I know how easy it can be to turn it off. When not feeling anything is better than feeling this loss and this pain."

"Caroline, please…" he was begging her to stay with him. "She wouldn't want this."

"How do I keep it on, when I have nothing left but darkness?"

"You have me, let me be your light. Let me help you heal. I know it's not easy, and right now it seems impossible. But I won't let you lose yourself."

She fell into him, and he felt her nod. She was agreeing to let him take care of her. She knew he wouldn't let her down. He'd be her light.


End file.
